Dildo Flag Creator Rips CNN Over ISIS Gay Pride Gaffe

A CNN report on Sunday went viral when an international reporter mistook a dildo-covered flag for an ISIS banner during coverage of London’s Gay Pride Parade. Now the flag’s creator has unloaded on the cable news network over the gaffe.

“But how could a report so hysterical and so clearly false possibly get onto the air, discussed by a terrorism expert?” British artist Paul Coombs, who used sex-toy motifs in his work before, asked in an op-ed published Tuesday on The Guardian. “CNN correspondent Lucy Pawle described my flag as a ‘very bad mimicry’ but the only bad mimicry I could see was CNN’s impression of a reputable news organization.

“What does this say about every other report that they broadcast? And why have they not mentioned it since? They seem to think that if nobody says anything about it then it can’t have really happened,” he continued.

When he created the flag for London’s celebration, Coombs never expected that someone would think it was real. “This man in black and white was waving what appears to be a very bad mimicry-but a clear attempt to mimic-the ISIS flag,” Pawle reported live from the scene.

Coombs also revealed in the column how he ended up fooling the news network. “I spent the morning of London’s Pride parade hand-stitching dildos onto a flag,” he said. “The decision to make the flag was a simple one: a sense of outrage at ISIS’ brutal advance across North Africa, Libya, Syria and Iraq.

“It has become a potent symbol of brutality, fear and sexual oppression. If I wanted to try and stimulate a dialogue about the ridiculousness of this ideology, the flag was key,” Coombs explained. “The Pride festival is a pure celebration of the finest aspects of humanity: of tolerance, togetherness, acceptance and liberation, the polar opposite of what ISIS stands for. If there was anywhere where my flag had a voice, it was there.”

During the parade, Coombs was alerted by police that someone in the crowd thought the flag was real and advised him to put it away, which he did, but soon the news spread that CNN reported on the flag as though it was an actual ISIS banner and #DildoIsis started trending online.

CNN quickly pulled the video of their erroneous news report from their official site but his creation has left a lasting impression with many people. “On a message board someone posted: “Whenever I see the ISIS flag anywhere, all I can see is dildos!” Mission accomplished,” Coombs said.

CBS 2 LA Reporter Suzanne Marques posted this photo on her Facebook page of the man who "cursed" in her face, with the caption: "I'm sure his family and his employer would be embarrassed to hear what he said into my mic."

Facebook

TV6 Marquette, Michigan reporter Ashley Kirklen posted footage on Instagram of a group of hecklers who taunted her as she covered a New Year's Eve celebration.

Instagram

KTLA 5 reporter Steve Kuzj shoved a man out of his live shot in Hollywood, and continued his report seamlessly, later tweeting: "Defending myself and viewers from hearing obscenities."

YouTube

Toronto "CityNews" reporter Shauna Hunt confronted a group of men who yelled "F--k her right in the pu--y." Video of the exchange went viral and one of the men was fired from his job.

CityNews

Fox 11 LA reporter Gina Silva wrote a story about being heckled and shared footage of the man who yelled "FHRITP" into her microphone during a live report.

Fox 11 LA

Scranton, Penn. reporter Stacy Lange was doing a live shot on local legislation when a man ran up and yelled "FHRITP."

YouTube

CBC Montreal reporter Tanya Birkbeck was doing a live report about a parade when a group of people began taunting her: "This is an unfortunate part of being a journalist on the street," Birkbeck said.

CBC News

NBC Bay Area reporter Michelle Roberts was doing a live report on drones when a kid on a skateboard rolled by and yelled "FHRITP."

YouTube

KTLA 5 reporter Kacey Montoya was reporting live on people who had just found "Hidden Cash" when a man in the crowd yelled "FHRITP."

YouTube

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As the disturbing trend of men yelling obscenities at journalists becomes more widespread, TheWrap looks at instances of taunting

CBS 2 LA Reporter Suzanne Marques posted this photo on her Facebook page of the man who "cursed" in her face, with the caption: "I'm sure his family and his employer would be embarrassed to hear what he said into my mic."